Earl LloydEarl Lloyd was an American basketball player who made history as the first African American to play in the NBA. Born on April 3, 1928, in Sparta, North Carolina, Lloyd's college basketball career at the University of West Virginia caught the attention of the Washington Capitols, who drafted him in the 1950 NBA Draft. His tenure with the Capitols was brief, but his significance in integrating the NBA cannot be overstated. more